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Flock security camera near Germantown park causing controversy
Flock safety cameras are a familiar sight along major highways, but what about a playground? Some Germantown residents are voicing concerns over controversial Flock cameras scanning cars at a local park.
GERMANTOWN, Wis. - Another controversy is brewing in southeast Wisconsin over Flock Safety technology—this time centered around a Flock Safety PTZ camera at Germantown's Kinderberg Park.
Flock camera in park
What they're saying:
In a statement posted by Germantown police on Facebook back in June, they said the Flock camera was put up there for the following:
"The Germantown Police Department has recently installed a security camera at Kinderberg Park.
Our concern is ensuring Kinderberg Park remains a safe and welcoming place for residents while protecting taxpayer-funded amenities from repeated vandalism and damage. Over the years, the park has experienced multiple incidents that have resulted in costly repairs and replacement of public property.
To address these concerns, a security camera has been installed in the park. The camera records activity in the same manner as many security cameras used throughout our community at schools, businesses and public facilities. The camera does not read license plates and does not have license plate recognition capabilities.
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Access to the camera is limited to sworn police officers and is used only for legitimate law enforcement and investigative purposes. When crimes occur, video evidence can help officers identify those responsible, hold offenders accountable and assist in recovering costs associated with damage.
Our perspective is simple: we hope this camera serves as a deterrent to future vandalism, helps preserve a community asset that is enjoyed by thousands of residents each year and reduces repair costs ultimately borne by taxpayers.
Kinderberg Park belongs to our community. This investment is intended to help protect it for everyone who uses and enjoys it."
Residents raising concerns
What we know:
But now, some residents are raising concerns about specifically where the camera is placed in the park, and whether its capabilities weigh more risk or reward.
The Flock Safety security camera has a powerful 32x optical zoom feature and sits right next to the playground. Some residents brought concerns to recent village committee meetings.
Their worries include the capabilities it has to capture clear images of children, families, and adjacent private yards.
This also comes at a time when Flock is facing a lot of controversy across the country, with more reports of misuse by law enforcement officers arising. The company recently announced changes as a result of the backlash over privacy concerns and reports of police misuse.
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Germantown police statement
What they're saying:
FOX6 News asked Germantown police for an interview about this and followed up with a number of questions. They declined but sent FOX6 News the following statement.
"While we are aware that the topic of the Kinderberg Park camera has been brought up during Village meetings, we continue to believe the decision to install the camera has been supported by many members of our community. When the camera was initially installed and the community was notified through a Facebook post, we received significant support for the decision.
Prior to the installation, Kinderberg Park had experienced incidents of vandalism and damage. Most recently, the park bathrooms were vandalized, resulting in approximately $5,000 in repair costs. There was also significant profane graffiti throughout the park reported in a separate incident. In addition to the cost of removing the graffiti and repairing the damage, it was disappointing that law-abiding members of our community had to be exposed to that type of activity while visiting a park intended for everyone to enjoy.
Since the camera was installed, we have not received any reports of vandalism at Kinderberg Park. While we cannot definitively attribute that to the camera, we believe it has provided a strong deterrent and an additional tool to help protect the park and the people who use it."
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s staff and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Germantown Police and Flock Safety.